Eye Injury

Eye Injuries Treatment

Self-Care at Home

Chemical exposures: The single most important thing to do for chemical
exposures is to immediately wash out the eye with great amounts of
water.
Although saline solution is best, regular tap water is a perfectly
acceptable
alternative. Particularly, for more serious burning materials, such as
acid or
alkali, time is of the essence. The affected eye should be washed for 20
minutes or more. It is important that you keep your eyelids open during
the
irrigation process.

How to wash out your eye: How it is done is less important than getting it
done with great amounts of water.

A water fountain makes a great eye wash. Just lean over the fountain, turn
on the water, and keep your eye open.

At a sink, stand over the sink, cup your hands, and put your face into the
running water.

If you are near a shower, get in and put your eye under the running water.
This is a good option if you have been sprayed with a chemical in the
face and
hair.

Hold a glass of water to your eye and tip your head back. Do this many
times.

If you are working outside, a garden hose running at a very modest flow
will work.

Subconjunctival hemorrhage: Minimal treatment is needed. Avoid further
trauma to the eye, such as rubbing. This injury will heal with time.

Corneal abrasions: Little can be done at home for corneal abrasions. People
who wear contact lenses should avoid using their lenses until evaluated
by an
ophthalmologist. You should seek medical care promptly.

Traumatic iritis: Some people become very light sensitive, and sunglasses
may help until treatment is begun.

Hyphema: Keep your head elevated. Do not lie flat. Keep quiet with minimal
activity until you are seen by an ophthalmologist. Do not take aspirin
for any
pain, because this will increase the risk of bleeding. You should seek
medical
care promptly.

Orbital blowout fractures: Keep your head elevated, and apply ice to your
face to reduce swelling. Do not take aspirin for any pain, because this
will
increase the risk of bleeding.

Lid lacerations: You should seek immediate medical care. Do not attempt to
put anything directly on the eyeball. Do not take aspirin for any pain,
because
this will increase the risk of bleeding.

Lacerations to the eyeball: Protect your eye, and do not put any pressure
on your eye. You should seek immediate medical attention.

Foreign bodies: Gentle flushing with water will often dislodge foreign
bodies that have not embedded themselves in the cornea. Do not try to
rub or
wipe off foreign bodies with a tissue, a Q-Tip, or anything else. Doing
so will
usually not remove an embedded foreign object and will result in a
corneal
abrasion that may be more painful than the foreign body itself.
Intraocular and
intraorbital foreign bodies cannot be treated at home.

Caustic Foreign Substance in the Eye (Chemical Burn)

Getting unexpectedly splashed or sprayed in the eye by substances other than clean, harmless water can be scary. Some
substances burn or sting but are fairly harmless in the long run, while
others can cause serious injury. The basic makeup of the chemical
involved can make a lot of difference, such as:

others can cause serious injury." border="0"">

Acid. As a general rule, acids can cause considerable redness and burning but can be washed out fairly easily.

Alkali. Substances or chemicals that are basic (alkali) are much more serious but may not seem so because they don't cause as much
immediate eye
pain or redness as acids. Some examples of alkali substances are
oven cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners and even chalk dust.

Chemical exposures and burns are usually caused by a splash of liquid getting in your eye. But they can be caused in other ways as well, such
as by rubbing your eyes and transferring a chemical from your hands to
your eyes or by getting sprayed in the eye by hair spray or other
aerosols.

If you're splashed in the eye, put your head under a steady stream of barely warm tap water for about 15 minutes. Just let it run into your
eye and down your face. Then call your eye doctor or an emergency
room/urgent care center to see what is recommended for your eye injury.
Tell the person on the phone exactly what kind of substance got into
your eye and what you've done about it.

If you know your eye is at risk because it's extraordinarily red or blurry, then just go immediately to your eye doctor or an emergency room
or urgent care center after you've rinsed it with water. You can put a
cool, moist compress or an ice pack on your eye, but don't rub it.

Depending on the substance, the effects of chemical exposures causing eye injuries can range from minor irritation to serious eye damage and
even blindness.

Eye Injuries - Home Treatment

Most minor eye injuries can be treated at home.

If you have a cut on your eyelid, apply a sterile bandage or cloth to protect the area. If you don't have a
sterile
bandage, use a clean cloth. Do not use fluffy cotton bandages around
the eye
that could tear apart and get stuck in the eye. Keep the bandage
clean and
dry.

To reduce swelling around the eye, apply ice or cold packs for 15
minutes 3 or 4 times a day during the first 48
hours after the injury. The sooner you apply a cold pack, the less
swelling you
are likely to have. Place a cloth between the ice and your skin.
After the
swelling goes down, warm compresses may help relieve pain.

Do not use chemical cooling packs on or near the eye. If the pack leaks,
the chemicals
could cause more eye damage. Do not use a piece of raw meat on an
injured
eye.

If your eye symptoms are not completely gone after 24 hours of home treatment, see your doctor.

Eye injury in a child

Applying first aid measures for an eye injury in a child may be difficult, depending on the
child's age,
size, and ability to cooperate. Having another adult help you treat
the child
is helpful. Stay calm and talk in a soothing voice. Use slow, gentle
movements
to help the child remain calm and cooperative. A struggling child
may need to
be held strongly so that first aid can be started and the
seriousness of the
eye injury assessed.

Aconitum napellus: This remedy may bring relief when foreign matter gets into the
eye and causes irritation. The person feels fearful and agitated — with
eye pain, heavy
watering, and heightened sensitivity to light.

Apis mellifica: This remedy can be helpful if the eyelids and surrounding areas get
very puffy and tender, with burning or stinging pain that cold
applications partially relieve.Apis can also be useful after overexposure to very bright light
(looking at snow in
bright sunlight or sun reflecting off the water for long periods,
driving into the sun, etc.)
when the eyes feel sore and oversensitive.

Argentum nitricum: Aching from overuse or detailed work, relieved by closing the
eyes or pressing on them, suggests a need for this remedy. The muscles
around the eyes feel
weak and the person is unable to keep them focused and steady. The
whites or corners often
look inflamed. Being in an overheated room may aggravate the symptoms.

Arnica: This remedy can bring relief to a person with a bruised, sore feeling in the
eyes after closely-focused work or from looking into the distance
(sightseeing, watching
movies, etc. ) The person may feel a need to keep the eyes open, getting
dizzy when closing
them.

Kali phosphoricum: This remedy can be helpful when exhaustion from illness,
overwork, or stress has led to eyestrain. The eyes feel very tired and
the vision seems
blurred and weak. A person who needs this remedy often startles easily
and is oversensitive to
light.

Kalmia latifolia: Great stiffness felt in the eyes and eyelids, worse when moving
the eyes, suggests a need for this remedy. The vision may seem to be
impaired or weak. A
person who needs this remedy may also have nerve pains in the face and
teeth, or joint and
muscle stiffness that shifts from place to place.

Natrum muriaticum: This remedy may be useful if extended periods of reading or doing
schoolwork have led to a weak, bruised feeling in the eyes. The muscles
around the eyeballs
can feel weak and stiff, and the letters on a page may appear to run
together. The eyelids
feel heavy, and the person may be inclined toward headaches.

Ruta graveolens: This remedy is often indicated for eyestrain caused by overuse.
Stiffness and pain can lead to headaches, and soreness and pressure are
felt behind the
eyeballs. The eyes may become inflamed and swollen, with heavy watering
and oversensitivity to
light. The person may also have problems with focusing the eyes or
accommodating to changes in
brightness.

Symphytum: This is an important remedy when the eyeball has been bruised or injured
by a blow from a blunt object (for example a tool-handle, baseball, or
rock). Injuries to the
eyeball can be serious, and should always be examined by a doctor.

• Using a compress will soothe the eye. To make a compress, use
a cotton pad or very clean cloth. Choose a remedy discussed
below and
apply a compress for at least 10 minutes as often as needed.
• One of the easiest remedies to use is the warm or cold water

compress. Put a warm compress over the eyes to soothe them and
prevent
the sticky discharge from drying on the lashes, and a cold one
to shrink
the swelling and reduce the itchiness. Do this for five
minutes three
or four times a day.
• Many of the bacteria that cause conjunctivitis don't like
heat,
so a hot compress will be helpful. Use a hot compress three to
four
times a day, but test the temperature before putting it over
the eye
to make sure it isn't too hot.

"Hi Megan,
I've dealt with a few different illnesses. Maybe you can call me tomorrow and let me know what's going on. Or maybe send your number. Pat and I are going to a conference but will have some time on the drive there and later in…"

"Hi Anna,
Hope you are doing well, its been a while since I've come to the group MNOs but hope to attend soon and see folks again. This is kind of a random favor/question, but I seem to have a sick chicken and wondered if you had any expertise…"

"Thanks, lots of great ideas we can try. (I am a new member on the yahoo group as of last week.) We also read some information elsewhere about treating with arnica, do you have any experience with that? DH used arnica pellets on Sunday for muscle…"

"We had two recent discussions about poison ivy relief on the yahoogroup with many options to consider. Plantain, witch hazel and Epsom salt baths seem to offer significant relief.
Are you already a member there?…"

So Maya Lynn decided to come Saturday afternon.After a long labor, but a REAL quick one push delivery she arrived Saturday September 12, 2009 at 5:09.She's 7lb. 11 oz. and 20 1/2" long.We came home Sunday afternoon and have all been doing really well.I will update with photos when I get time to download them.See More